News
BackThe frequencies, which are released by the conversion from analogue to digital television, will be used for innovative services, informed the Commission in a press release. Interactive television or mobile phones with advanced functions could now be made possible by the freed frequencies. Representatives of the European Commission also see this as an opportunity to drive the economic recovery forward and assume an economic potential of € 20 to 50 billion through these new services.
The conversion from analogue to digital television frees four fifth of the currently occupied frequencies. Commissioner Viviane Reding has now presented plans to enable the coordinated allocation of the freed up frequencies. At the same time, Reding is asking the Member States to accelerate the conversion to digital television. Currently, Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Sweden are the only five Member States, which have already completely switched off all analogue frequencies. The Commissioner would like to see all other EU States to follow this example and complete the conversion by 1st January 2012. Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Malta, Slovenia and Austria plan to completely convert to digital television by the end of 2010 at the latest. The remaining Member States intend to follow suit by 2012 at the latest.
The Commission regards this undertaking as a “digital dividend”, whose exhaustion could increase the economic output EU-wide by up to € 50 billion.
The Commission regards this undertaking as a “digital dividend”, whose exhaustion could increase the economic output EU-wide by up to € 50 billion.